It’s Monday, 8:30 am. You turn off your alarm and internally wince that it is Monday. Your thumb swipes over the screen to find that pink & purple icon – Instagram! This part of your morning routine is not even intentional anymore, it’s muscle memory.
It takes about 5 minutes for your mind to fully wake up while you groggily get up to speed with all the content in your feed.
And suddenly it’s like your mind is flipping through 10 TV channels at once!
There is something super loud blasting from an IGTV post, your favorite influencer’s OOTD, a friend’s newly discovered baking skill and at least two disturbing news updates.
And before you know it your zoom call is about to start in 30 seconds!
This part of your morning routine literally sets you up to feel unmotivated, low and annoyed with Monday – or any day for that matter!
If these first few minutes of your day has your mind in a fuzzy puddle, then no matter what your to-do list or productivity app says, you aren’t starting out with the right INTENTION and ENERGY for the day.
Ever since I became aware of this habit, I reflected and drilled down about why it made me feel this way. I intentionally set out to replace this old habit with other simple and positive ones.
There has been a TON of difference in my days ever since! This change has the power to make it a calm, peaceful morning vs. a grumpy, hangry one!
Read on to see how social media affects you and the positive habits you can choose instead!
Information overload
The first thing I realize when I am on my social media feed is that there is an avalanche of pictures and stories trying to grab my attention.
This is a diverse range of content – from life updates to designer clothes, recipe ideas, funny videos, disturbing news and the newest social media challenge.
When I scroll through my feed first thing in the morning, I am basically asking my mind to wake up from deep slumber and dive head first into this ocean of content.
Honestly, my mind feels like it’s in a shopping mall on Black Friday!
Rather than waking up with a calm and relaxed mind, this old habit of mine made me feel frantic and gave me a serious case of FOMO!
So here’s what you can do instead:
This simple and refreshing detox drink will elevate your morning routine.
Mix 1 tbsp of lemon juice and 1 tsp of honey in a mug of warm water. This takes just 90 seconds!
Drinking this boosts your metabolism naturally and helps with weight loss! It is also known to increase immunity and detoxify your body! 🥰
Staying informed
Social Media is definitely tapping into our anxiety – especially during these strange, uncertain times. In our post-COVID world, panic and misinformation spreads like wildfire!
Many times, the most overshared posts on social media fail to give us the full picture. But we realize this only days later.
Even misinformation shared through viral posts affects us subconsciously. Knowing that it is a false story doesn’t always clear our minds.
Since then, I set aside some time during my day to read the news. I make sure to read it only from trusted, verified sources of information.
Being positive
It seems like we have been waking up on the wrong side of the bed since the start of the pandemic. Every week, there is a major crisis happening somewhere in the world.
I believe that there is a lot of kindness in the world – it is all about our perspective. After every disastrous event, there are a ton of people working hard to make everything alright. But they aren’t always in the spotlight.
Think of all the essential workers selflessly putting their lives and their families at risk. So many people are coming together to organize fundraisers and raise awareness during these hard times.
While it is important to stay informed and show your support, this can get overwhelming. It’s called Compassion Fatigue and it is real.
Hasan Minhaj described it accurately on Patriot Act.
It’s like we have 50 tabs open in our mental browsers. And we’re about to crash, something’s gotta change.
Focus your efforts on issues that are most important to you. This way you are helping out more effectively without being stretched too thin.
Remember that it is not your sole responsibility to fix everything that is wrong in the world. You can only do your best.
Sometimes just being there and listening to someone, can be all that they need. 🙂
Another great tip is to include positive media outlets in your feed. They give me my daily dose of uplifting news. Upworthy, A Plus and The Good News Movement are some of my favorites.
Staying focused
There is a reason why we are all attracted to our feeds. It’s because there is actually great content out there. I have found some of the best recommendations for movies, workouts, recipes, brands and whatnot.
I feel inspired by seeing how motivated and successful others are in their journeys. Social media gives us a chance to take a closer look at our role models and their everyday life.
But it got me thinking that with all the time that I spend on my feed, especially in the mornings, I am investing my time in other people’s journeys and their lives.
This is ultimately drawing focus away from my own life. I should instead be focusing on my own goals and intentions for the day.
This has given me a STRONGER reason to eliminate social media from my morning routine.
Instead, I set my top 3 priorities for the day and practice my morning affirmations. I keep this planner by my bedside.
And then I am off, dreaming about what I should have for breakfast! Acai bowls are one of my favorite breakfast recipes! 😊
I’m definitely not a morning person but these positive habits have helped me with my morning blues for sure! Let me know what you guys think and tell me what has helped your morning routine the most. 😃
Related post: 5 Easy Tips to Achieve Work Life Balance